Format for an Essay (Introduction)

Well for the past ... forever I have stuck to this main format for an essay, General paper or just a standard argumentative essay. It has got me many A's and B's just by following this format, along with many good points and examples. Here goes:

Introduction

• Hook

The hook is the thing that gets your reader interested in what you have to say. A good hook is informative and interesting.

there are several different type of hooks :

1. Defining of terms - explain BIG WORDS in your sentence. e.g Happiness, Compassion. The problem about these words is that they mean so many things to different people. Therefore to guide your reader to what specific area that you are trying to focus use the definition of these BIG WORDS.

2. Establish relevance - make the reader feel involved. By using this technique, address what the reader may go through in his or her daily life and how this essay can affect their lives by reading it.

3. Quote somebody - if the topic is of great significance, I'm sure someone would definitely poke his nose into it and say something witty about it. make use of these quotations to give your essay a refined quality about it.

4. Forceful comments - a short direct statement on how you feel on that topic then go on to explain what you mean.

Personally I really like to mix between quotations and defining of terms. I feel it gives a more profound feel to your essay. At the same time by quoting someone you ensure that the reader does not see you as just a opinionated writer, but as a writer who is well researched and knowledgeable in the aspect that you are writing on.

• Topic

Tell your reader what the question is. Treat your reader like a bloody idiot. Explain to the reader what your essay is responding to. e.g " The topic I would like to discuss is ..... "

• Point of View

This is the MOST IMPORTANT part of your essay so listen up. tell your reader your stand. e.g Yes i agree, No i disagree or Yes I agree to a limited extent so on and so forth. Without this Point of view your essay is a goner. It is absolutely suicidal not to write this point. Write it and you will be alright.

• Outline of 3 main Argument

Finally, the 3 main arguments. this section is just a brief outline of what your following paragraphs will be like. It gives your reader a brief view of your essay and this is absolutely essential otherwise your reader will be lost.

As you can see this post is rather long and draggy so I'll stop here. The Introduction of your essay is of utmost importance. Without it your essay will be suicidal. Writing a good introduction is one of the skills of a excellent writer. All teachers look forward to a good introduction, believe me. So Master it and you will do just fine.

As someone once said "Let us watch well our beginnings, and results will manage themselves.